Saturday, January 28
Salt Lake City, Utah
12:30 PM
Colorado
12-9, 2-8
53
at
58
Utah
14-7, 3-7
1
2
3
4
F
Colorado
11
17
13
12
53
Utah
10
15
20
13
58
Senior Zoe Beard-Fails made her second straight start Saturday at Utah.
Photo by: Jivan West
Utah’s Third-, Fourth-Quarter Surges Keep CU At Bay
January 28, 2017 | Women's Basketball, B.G. Brooks
Utes defeat Buffs 58-53 in quick Pac-12 Conference rematch
SALT LAKE CITY – Decisive runs in the third and fourth quarters helped propel Utah to a 58-53 win here Saturday over the Colorado women's basketball team, denying the Buffaloes their chance for a second consecutive Pac-12 Conference win.
The Buffs, who snapped a five-game losing streak with a 54-49 win against the Utes on Wednesday in Boulder, were victimized by 16-0 and 10-0 Utah surges in the final two quarters, with the 10-0 run particularly damaging.
However, CU (12-9 overall, 2-8 Pac-12) closed to within two points in the last 39 seconds but couldn't overtake Utah (14-7, 3-7).
"16-0, 10-0 . . . you can't survive those kinds of runs," Buffs coach JR Payne said.
Kennedy Leonard, who scored 24 points in Wednesday's meeting, led CU with 13 points Saturday and was the only Buffs player in double digits. Alexis Robinson and Monica Burich added 9 points each, with Burich scoring her total in the first half.
Utah out-rebounded CU 42-34, with Payne noting that she believed board work "would be the biggest key . . . so many of (Emily) Potter's points came off of offensive putbacks."
Potter, who was held to six points four days ago, finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds Saturday – totals much closer to her 15-point, 8-board averages. Malia Nawahine (13 points) and Tanaeya Boclair (10) also reached double figures for the Utes.
CU is now 8-5 against Utah since the two schools joined the Pac-12 for the 2011-12 season.
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Buffs and Utes opened cold, both going 1-of-7 from the field in the game's first 5 minutes. But CU reversed that, hitting three of its next four field goal tries and taking an 11-10 lead by the end of the first quarter.
After the Utes took a 7-3 lead on back-to-back baskets by Wendy Anae, the Buffs went on a 6-0 run with baskets by Bri Watts, Burich and Robinson to go up 9-7.
But Utah quickly recovered with a trey by Boclair, who didn't play in Boulder, and went up 10-9. CU regained the lead at the end of the quarter on two free throws by Watts.
Five consecutive points by Burich to open the second period put the Buffs up 16-12 but the Utes caught up fast with a 7-0 run, giving them a 19-16 advantage. They held one- to three-point leads until the Buffs closed the quarter with an 8-2 surge and took a 28-25 halftime lead.
Makenzie Ellis scored four of CU's 8 points during that run, helping the Buffs finish the quarter 7-of-13 from the field (54 percent) and 46 percent for the half (11-of-24).
CU made only one of six 3-point attempts in the first half but Utah was only 2-of-12 from long range and shot only 11-of-29 (38 percent) overall in the first 20 minutes.
The Buffs didn't have a player in double figures in the first half, but Burich's nine points featured perfect shooting from the field (4-of-4, 1-of-1 from beyond the arc). Each team had 10 first-half turnovers, with Utah converting those errors into 14 points to 8 for CU.
Held to six points in CU's win on Wednesday night, Potter accounted for 10 points and 6 rebounds in Saturday's first half.
The Buffs scored the first five points of the third quarter and opened their largest lead of the afternoon – 32-25. But it didn't last.
The Utes responded with an 11-0 run, and by the media timeout at 4:43 were ahead 36-32. The streak started on a 3-pointer by Paige Crozon, who led Utah in Wednesday's meeting with 12 points.
And at that timeout the Buffs had only one field goal – Leonard's layup to open the period. It was CU's only basket in its first six attempts of the half, and meanwhile Utah was hitting the accelerator.
The Utes scored the next five points, sending their run to 16-0 before the Buffs finally got their second field goal of the quarter – a short jumper by Zoe Correal.
Utah had zipped ahead 41-32, but CU quickly recovered with a 10-4 run to close out the quarter and trailed just 45-41 entering the final period. Half of the points in the run were scored by Leonard, who went 3-of-3 from the foul line and converted a layup.
With Leonard hitting a layup, Robinson scoring four straight points and Haley Smith getting another lay-in, the Buffs opened the final quarter with an 8-0 run to take a 49-45 lead before the Utes got their first field goal of the period – a trey by Nawahine that closed Utah's deficit to 49-48 with 5:15 to play.
The Utes scored the next 10 points to go up 55-49, with treys by Nawahine and Crozon bookending the surge and giving the Buffs 2:53 to catch up. They came close, creeping to within 55-52 on a conventional 3-point play by Robinson with 2:05 left, then having a chance to tie with 50 seconds to play.
After a timeout and a missed 3-pointer by Robinson, Smith made one of two free throws, cutting Utah's lead to 55-53 with 39 seconds left. Utah called timeout but an ensuing Smith steal gave CU a chance to tie. Leonard couldn't convert a layup with 7 seconds left and after Nawahine hit the second of two free throws – Utah had missed its previous 11 – Robinson's 3-pointer to tie fell short with 2 seconds remaining.
A second later, Boclair closed it out with two free throws.
TURNING POINT: With CU up 49-45 early in the fourth quarter, Utah fashioned a 10-0 run to go ahead 55-49. The Buffs managed to pull to within two (55-53) but couldn't overtake the Utes in the final half minute.
CU STANDOUTS: Leonard finished with 13 points on 5-of-17 shooting from the field and had a game-best six assists . . . Burich (9 points) was 4-of-4 from the field – all in the first half – before fouling out in the final quarter . . . . Robinson also scored 9 points on 3-of-13 from the field . . . . Watts' 8 points (3-of-3 from the field, 2-of-2 from the foul line) were a career high.
KEY STATISTICS: The Buffs shot only 36 percent from the field (19-of-52) and were 1-of-14 (7 percent) from beyond the arc . . . . Utah won the board battle 42-34 but made only 6-of-19 free throws . . . . The Utes converted 17 Buffs turnovers into 22 points while the Utes' 19 errors cost them only 14 points . . . . Utah had 17 offensive rebounds to CU's 11.
WHAT IT MEANS: CU couldn't capitalize on a chance for a second straight Pac-12 win and a rare conference road win. But the Buffs, according to their coach, had positives in all four quarters – something they need to continue when the Washington schools visit Boulder next week.
NOTEWORTHY: Bri Watts scored a career-high eight points .... Utah's win ties the all-time series between the two schools at 15-15.
QUOTEWORTHY
Colorado Coach JR Payne
On the game in general
"In all four quarters, we did some things really well. We also had some spurts where we didn't score and they were scoring and those types of runs are just a disaster. You have to be able to dig your heels in and get a stop. You have to be able to dig your heels in and get a bucket or get to the free throw line offensively. That's an area we've got to as a staff recognize more and the players on the floor recognize, and be able to dig in and muscle up and get a stop when we need to.
On what was different from Wednesday's win against Utah
"We got outrebounded tonight so we didn't rebound very well. And we gave Potter a ton of second-chance opportunities on the offensive glass so that was a negative that we did differently and a positive for them."
On the fourth quarter
"Whenever we're aggressive and get to the paint, it's good for us. When we become hesitant and just shoot jump shots, it's not good for us. We were probably passive during the times when we were not scoring and we were more aggressive when we were scoring."
NEXT UP: The Buffs return to the Coors Events Center to face Washington State on Friday (6 p.m., Pac-12 Networks, ESPN Radio 1600 am).
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
The Buffs, who snapped a five-game losing streak with a 54-49 win against the Utes on Wednesday in Boulder, were victimized by 16-0 and 10-0 Utah surges in the final two quarters, with the 10-0 run particularly damaging.
However, CU (12-9 overall, 2-8 Pac-12) closed to within two points in the last 39 seconds but couldn't overtake Utah (14-7, 3-7).
"16-0, 10-0 . . . you can't survive those kinds of runs," Buffs coach JR Payne said.
Kennedy Leonard, who scored 24 points in Wednesday's meeting, led CU with 13 points Saturday and was the only Buffs player in double digits. Alexis Robinson and Monica Burich added 9 points each, with Burich scoring her total in the first half.
Utah out-rebounded CU 42-34, with Payne noting that she believed board work "would be the biggest key . . . so many of (Emily) Potter's points came off of offensive putbacks."
Potter, who was held to six points four days ago, finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds Saturday – totals much closer to her 15-point, 8-board averages. Malia Nawahine (13 points) and Tanaeya Boclair (10) also reached double figures for the Utes.
CU is now 8-5 against Utah since the two schools joined the Pac-12 for the 2011-12 season.
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Buffs and Utes opened cold, both going 1-of-7 from the field in the game's first 5 minutes. But CU reversed that, hitting three of its next four field goal tries and taking an 11-10 lead by the end of the first quarter.
After the Utes took a 7-3 lead on back-to-back baskets by Wendy Anae, the Buffs went on a 6-0 run with baskets by Bri Watts, Burich and Robinson to go up 9-7.
But Utah quickly recovered with a trey by Boclair, who didn't play in Boulder, and went up 10-9. CU regained the lead at the end of the quarter on two free throws by Watts.
Five consecutive points by Burich to open the second period put the Buffs up 16-12 but the Utes caught up fast with a 7-0 run, giving them a 19-16 advantage. They held one- to three-point leads until the Buffs closed the quarter with an 8-2 surge and took a 28-25 halftime lead.
Makenzie Ellis scored four of CU's 8 points during that run, helping the Buffs finish the quarter 7-of-13 from the field (54 percent) and 46 percent for the half (11-of-24).
CU made only one of six 3-point attempts in the first half but Utah was only 2-of-12 from long range and shot only 11-of-29 (38 percent) overall in the first 20 minutes.
The Buffs didn't have a player in double figures in the first half, but Burich's nine points featured perfect shooting from the field (4-of-4, 1-of-1 from beyond the arc). Each team had 10 first-half turnovers, with Utah converting those errors into 14 points to 8 for CU.
Held to six points in CU's win on Wednesday night, Potter accounted for 10 points and 6 rebounds in Saturday's first half.
The Buffs scored the first five points of the third quarter and opened their largest lead of the afternoon – 32-25. But it didn't last.
The Utes responded with an 11-0 run, and by the media timeout at 4:43 were ahead 36-32. The streak started on a 3-pointer by Paige Crozon, who led Utah in Wednesday's meeting with 12 points.
And at that timeout the Buffs had only one field goal – Leonard's layup to open the period. It was CU's only basket in its first six attempts of the half, and meanwhile Utah was hitting the accelerator.
The Utes scored the next five points, sending their run to 16-0 before the Buffs finally got their second field goal of the quarter – a short jumper by Zoe Correal.
Utah had zipped ahead 41-32, but CU quickly recovered with a 10-4 run to close out the quarter and trailed just 45-41 entering the final period. Half of the points in the run were scored by Leonard, who went 3-of-3 from the foul line and converted a layup.
With Leonard hitting a layup, Robinson scoring four straight points and Haley Smith getting another lay-in, the Buffs opened the final quarter with an 8-0 run to take a 49-45 lead before the Utes got their first field goal of the period – a trey by Nawahine that closed Utah's deficit to 49-48 with 5:15 to play.
The Utes scored the next 10 points to go up 55-49, with treys by Nawahine and Crozon bookending the surge and giving the Buffs 2:53 to catch up. They came close, creeping to within 55-52 on a conventional 3-point play by Robinson with 2:05 left, then having a chance to tie with 50 seconds to play.
After a timeout and a missed 3-pointer by Robinson, Smith made one of two free throws, cutting Utah's lead to 55-53 with 39 seconds left. Utah called timeout but an ensuing Smith steal gave CU a chance to tie. Leonard couldn't convert a layup with 7 seconds left and after Nawahine hit the second of two free throws – Utah had missed its previous 11 – Robinson's 3-pointer to tie fell short with 2 seconds remaining.
A second later, Boclair closed it out with two free throws.
TURNING POINT: With CU up 49-45 early in the fourth quarter, Utah fashioned a 10-0 run to go ahead 55-49. The Buffs managed to pull to within two (55-53) but couldn't overtake the Utes in the final half minute.
CU STANDOUTS: Leonard finished with 13 points on 5-of-17 shooting from the field and had a game-best six assists . . . Burich (9 points) was 4-of-4 from the field – all in the first half – before fouling out in the final quarter . . . . Robinson also scored 9 points on 3-of-13 from the field . . . . Watts' 8 points (3-of-3 from the field, 2-of-2 from the foul line) were a career high.
KEY STATISTICS: The Buffs shot only 36 percent from the field (19-of-52) and were 1-of-14 (7 percent) from beyond the arc . . . . Utah won the board battle 42-34 but made only 6-of-19 free throws . . . . The Utes converted 17 Buffs turnovers into 22 points while the Utes' 19 errors cost them only 14 points . . . . Utah had 17 offensive rebounds to CU's 11.
WHAT IT MEANS: CU couldn't capitalize on a chance for a second straight Pac-12 win and a rare conference road win. But the Buffs, according to their coach, had positives in all four quarters – something they need to continue when the Washington schools visit Boulder next week.
NOTEWORTHY: Bri Watts scored a career-high eight points .... Utah's win ties the all-time series between the two schools at 15-15.
QUOTEWORTHY
Colorado Coach JR Payne
On the game in general
"In all four quarters, we did some things really well. We also had some spurts where we didn't score and they were scoring and those types of runs are just a disaster. You have to be able to dig your heels in and get a stop. You have to be able to dig your heels in and get a bucket or get to the free throw line offensively. That's an area we've got to as a staff recognize more and the players on the floor recognize, and be able to dig in and muscle up and get a stop when we need to.
On what was different from Wednesday's win against Utah
"We got outrebounded tonight so we didn't rebound very well. And we gave Potter a ton of second-chance opportunities on the offensive glass so that was a negative that we did differently and a positive for them."
On the fourth quarter
"Whenever we're aggressive and get to the paint, it's good for us. When we become hesitant and just shoot jump shots, it's not good for us. We were probably passive during the times when we were not scoring and we were more aggressive when we were scoring."
NEXT UP: The Buffs return to the Coors Events Center to face Washington State on Friday (6 p.m., Pac-12 Networks, ESPN Radio 1600 am).
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
Team Stats
COLO
UTAH
FG%
.365
.411
3FG%
.071
.286
FT%
.778
.316
RB
34
42
TO
17
19
STL
14
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
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